Paperback

From myth to manga, an artistic visual history of the human mind through an imaginative collection of fantastical monsters from around the world

• Includes more than 300 color illustrations

• Reveals monsters to be essential companions to the gods and the necessary complement to the perfect human archetype of the hero

Every culture on earth has its own monsters. Their stories, their curious habits and diets, and the ways in which they can be warded off create a picture of imaginations running riot. But what does our creation of monsters say about humankind? Why do we find one-eyed giants both in Japan and ancient Greece, or the same dragons in Europe and China? Hindu legends abound with creatures that are half man, half beast. Pliny described the monstrous races that lurked on the edges of Roman civilization. Even modern imagination is populated by monstrous beings such as the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot. This universal fascination with monsters is as old as humanity and continues to grow with each generation. Why? Because monsters respond to a sense of the supernatural that lies deep within us. The battle between order and chaos, good and evil, is made visible through gods and monsters.

Introducing a bestiary of bizarre creatures from the furthest reaches of artists’ imaginations, this book offers a unique visual history of the human mind through a collection of fantastical monsters drawn from all over the world--from the earliest prehistoric depictions to the classical world, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance, up to the first glimmer of modern science and Romantic horror. From myth to manga, from dreams to nightmares, Christopher Dell’s mythic-religious study of monsters shows them to be essential companions to the gods as well as the necessary complement to the perfect human archetype of the hero.

Industry Reviews

" . . . a unique collection of art that should be on every historian of horror's shelf. Whether you like to read or just enjoy a great picture book, "Monsters" provides a healthy dose of each to satisfy your curiosity. . . Hard to put down and hard to get out of your head.....history holds some captivating monsters, and so does Christopher Dell's collection." ." . . without doubt one of the best (if not the best) bestiary-style publications that has ever hit the book-shelves. . ." "The selection of illustrations almost can't be topped . . . Readers will find themselves poring through this book to read about these similarities and to take in the wonderful illustrations . . . This intense anthology would make an excellent addition to any research library. It also would be an interesting novelty coffee-table book." "This is the big book of monsters for little kids and big kids and everyone in between. It's a treasure-trove of fantastic art showing fantastic creatures from all around the world and from all cultures-from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China all the way up to "Frankenstein", Big Foot, and Pablo Picasso." ." . . with it's fascinating variety and inclusion of fantastically beautiful artwork Monsters should be a must have for anyone serious bout the subject matter. It would also make a solid, and surely treasured, introduction to the subject matter for those looking for a place to start." "It is the perfect gift for the monster obsessed child, or bizarre adult in your life. You know you have one." "This is a wonderful book for someone wanting to learn more about a lot of monsters. If you are looking for something more in-depth, it is an excellent starting point. . . The illustrations will entrance you, and the information will spur you to check the list of "further reading" material and websites."